Bill delays naming new NI police

RUC name change is disputed by some parties

The Northern Ireland Secretary will make the final decision on the title of the province's new police service, the government Bill on policing says.

The issue of changing the name of the Royal Ulster Constabulary has been threatening the government's plans to restore devolution to Northern Ireland by 22 May.

David Trimble's Ulster Unionist Party has made retaining the RUC name a precondition to re-entering the suspended power-sharing executive and he has been trying to gain assurances from the government that it would not be changed.

The Police (NI) Bill says that until a final decision is made on the name, it will be known as 'the Police Service'.

But the force will continue to be known as the RUC until September 2001.

However, the Bill's provision, delaying the final decision on the new title, may not be enough to reassure unionists that a return to devolved government would not spell the end of the RUC.

The Bill has eight parts and seven schedules and aims to "implement the proposals from the Independent Commission on Policing, following the completion of consultation".

David Trimble has been seeking assurances on RUC name

It also says that the Northern Ireland Secretary must take into account any advice given to him by the new policing board set up under the Act, when making a decision about the name for the new police service.

That 19-member board to replace the Northern Ireland Police Authority will include ten politicians from the Ulster Unionists, the Democratic Unionist Party, the Social Democratic and Labour Party and Sinn Fein and is to begin its work in April 2001.

The Bill also says that "the Secretary of State shall have regard to the need to secure that the membership of the police force is representative of the community in Northern Ireland".

It confirms that local councils will establish district policing partnerships to monitor local forces.

It also says there should also be a new declaration for recruits, a new code of ethics, members of the police force should register interests and the Northern Ireland Secretary should "regulate the flags and emblems of the police force".

Sources have told the BBC it is unlikely that the initials RUC will be part of the working title of the new police service, when it is decided.

'Major departure form Patten'

However nationalists and republicans have already expressed concern that the government is delaying change for a further consultation period in order to dilute the Patten recommendations.

Chris Patten's Independent Commission on the Future of Policing in Northern Ireland consulted widely throughout the province before recommending changing the RUC name as one of a series of reforms to make the police more acceptable to all sections of the community.

Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams: "Dilution of Patten proposals"

On 19 January 2000, Mr Mandelson told the Commons that he wanted the Patten Report implemented in full, and that those with concerns would not be able to "cherry pick".

And in a letter to the parties on 6 May the British and Irish governments said the Patten report would be implemented in full.

But Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams has said that the Bill represents "a major departure from Patten".

"In the recent negotiations leading up to the discussions at Hillsborough Sinn Fein raised our concerns at unionist attempts to dilute the Patten proposals on policing.

"The two governments made it clear to us that neither the RUC nor the patten proposals would form part of those negotiations.

"In their letter to the party leaders of 6 May they committed themselves to the implementation of the Patten Proposals.

"Today's policing bill does not fulfil that commitment. In fact it represents a major departure from the Patten Report on some of the most important issues," he said.

Ken Maginnis: Police Bill will need amendement

The publication of the Policing Bill followed Peter Mandelson's announcement that the government is to establish and fund an RUC George Cross Foundation, offering bursaries and scholarships to police officers, as a way of "honouring the achievements" of the force.

Mr Mandelson also wrote to the Ulster Unionists on Monday, to try to reassure them that the government did not intend to disband the RUC.

However members of David Trimble's party have said they are not reassured by the prospect of the renaming of the RUC being deferred.

Ulster Unionist Security spokesman Ken Maginnis said: "I think there will require to be a lot of amendment (to the Bill) before we get something workable and it does justice to the police in Northern Ireland," he said.